The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-04
MARRIED wOMEN'S NICKNAMEs.
The Odd Ways in Which the Idlers Sara
toga Address Their Wives.

| Saratoga Letter.
When lounger on the veranda of one of the
| big hotels at this place hears man say. Hurry
| up. little one" or Come along, birdie, he may
| be that it is husband addressing his wife,
and that she is enormously fat Apparently
all husbands of fat address their
| wives with dmlnutives. if not with nick
names fit only for small or little
girls. Daisy Birdie" and Baby" ap-
pear to be the pet names most favored by
the husbands Of mammoth women. In this
haven of conjueal rest for Saratoga is distinct
| lively for married couples and has less conven-
| fences and attractions for lovers than any
place in America, one gets deep knowledge of
the ways of welded folk. This matter of
nIcknames for wives is one of the most interest
ing studies. To pursue this branch of learning
1t is only necessary to sit for hour or
two, or any afternoon, while the music is play
ing in the inner garden either of the United
States Hotel or of the Grand Union All the
best married COUPLES will do for the stud ent.
They will talk unguardedly in his hearing, and
he will soon be able to classify the couples and
the pet names, for certain names go with certain
sorts of couples infallibly as pie goes with
supper in New England.
The very swell and exquisite young married
men, who dress vaInly and seek to give the i'm
preston that they belong to the +. c. d. c.,
dance at Delmonico's and know all the fellows
who have yachts. call their wives with monosyl-
tables, such as Puss. Chris, Hen, Fan, Loo, Tot.
There seems to be only one marked exception in
the list. You often hear of these wives called
'Popsy." There are two Popsies at the States
and there is at the Union. Oddly
enough the fathers of these same fell
lows. men well kept that you can't say
whether they forty five sixty five, are
fond of drawing out the full names of their
helpmeets. as for instance, Come heah, Fran
ces," or Now, my deah Eleanor you must have
wrap" Equally fixed is the rule that thin
and sIekly women, dyspeptics, neuralgics and
the like are addressed by their liege lords as
wife. madame, or Misses Thompson, Misses
Brown, whatever. The Invalid hus-
ones as well, address their better halves my
dear" This, by the way, Is the established
custom with the Hebrews. though they usually
are heard to pronounce the words mine teer."
The ciargymen seem to have united upon the
word mother" a title for their wives and
the men who are so common here, and who seem
to be wrapped up III an only girl or boy, call
their wives ina"
Other nicknames resist classification thus far,
though perhaps the KEY to all be found by
diligent application. There is no end to the
Dollies and the my loves" while one hears a
miscellaneous lot of passers-by addressing their
comrades as pet" One plump little wife is
gradually becoming known to every body in one
of the hotels as Sugar the nickname her
husband calls out assiduousiy and loudly all
day in the parors and on the promenades.
The temptation for others to call her Sugar
is growing painful She is the only
feminine confection, for at the States. there is
a dmrled brunette who answers to her husband
''Sweety;" and yesterday g very prim looking
wife. somewhat the shape of board, was ad-
dressed as Sweetness" before all the crowd at
the spring in Congress Park Il may be an
oversight. but there does not seem to be ''dar-
ling town. A rudy faced, corpulent of
forty who looks if he born and brought
up in the Stock Exchange, ALWAYS addresses
his wife Precious and in the
same hotel a husband, who appears to hail
from the West. replies to his wife with Yes,
Pigeon" "All right, Pigeon" and SO AS
il happens, there is something about the wifes
appearance manner, or perhaps IL is her
shape, that renders this oldest of mechanics
peculiarly appropriate The young fellows VINO
spending their in pulling the down
their upper lips fond of pointing out
Sugar" all their acquaintances, and in
another week they will doubtless add Pigeon"
to their stock OF fun.